Course Rigor

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Freshman Year - The core classes were all required

Algebra III w/ Trig
Biology
French III
Concert Band
Civics
Health
Advanced Reading
Honors English 9

Sophomore Year

Concert Band
AP Calculus AB
Advanced American Studies*
French IV
P.E. Boys
Physics 1

  • This was a double block English and History that you had to take in Sophomore year

Junior Year - I’m a rising Junior

Concert Band
Chem I
AP Euro
AP Lang&Comp
AP Calc BC
French V
AP Physics C

I know this isn’t course rigor but I will self-study, and I don’t plan to use these to go to any selective school, AP Micro/Macroeconomics, AP Comparative Gov’t, AP World History, AP Physics C E&M, 1, 2, and AP Art History

Senior Year - Prospective

Concert Band
AP Lit
AP Music Theory
AP GOPO*
AP French
AP Chem
AP Stat

*Only way to compete in We the People Competition

AP Bio, AP Env. Sci, AP Human Geography, AP Psych, AP USH

Is this OK, because the first two years were full of requirements and my last two years I am allowed to take anything I want
While everyone was taking these classes at my school, I’m not competitive with any other school am I? I want to get accepted to Ivies, but I’m not self-studying to please any school, I’m doing that completely for myself and probably won’t mention it on my applications.

2

I only want to know if my course rigor is appropriate, because I know that there are many other parts of the application, such as ECs and essays, etc.

3

This is a rigorous curriculum not counting the self-study. Only a tiny fraction of HS students nationwide would take 11 AP’s in high school. Taking AP Stats instead of Multi-Variable calculus senior year is one potential change to consider. If it were me, I wouldn’t self-study the APs but spend my energy on extracurricular activities.

4

You have challenging enough courses. If you want Ivy/top 20 schools you should spend most of your energy getting As in the APs you’ll taking and taking part and doing well in the Extracurriculars you’ve been doing than drowning your self in additional self study APs. If you want to study 2ish APs that make sense for you (like Physics E&M since your taking a class in C, or CompGo because your taking US Gov). You shouldn’t just self study every AP in existence because odds are you’ll just end up getting 3s or lower on most of them (which Ivys won’t accept and may actually look down upon) because its going to lower the quality of the rest of your application. Try to focus on the few subjects you truly love that you possibly plan to study in college instead of spreading yourself out so thin because you obviously seem capable of doing great things if you can handle all these APs. Your course rigor (especially for junior and senior year) is exceptional-- now you need to start focusing on other areas of your applications.

5

I already play the flute and have been in the All-State Marching Band, which will play at the Rose Bowl, but I can’t go, because I will be going for a five week stay with a host family in France, and because I can’t be there during the two summer practices I can’t do it in January. I also plan on making the All-State Band and Orchestra, and will try out for all Northwest. I also am in the Tri-M honor society, French Honor Society, our schools International Club, and will be joining Key Club, Deca, and Student Council together. I also ran in track and field indoor and outdoor with 5 min mile, which is bad, but at least I’m staying with it, and I’m also a part of a city youth council that works with the local gov’t on issues that relate to us, and I have many opportunities to stick myself out there with being so close to a University. I also will be doing the National History Day, We the People, AMC, etc. and will very easily make it past state. Do you have any suggestions for ECs, because I only thought of trying for the Ivies last year, and I know it is really weak, but I know the flute professor at the university of Wyoming, and my senior year, I’m sure she could give me a recommendation, and she is actually well known in the flute world, I believe. I don’t think that my self-studying will take too much time, because I naturally get things and there are plenty of teachers at my school that would be willing to assist me and make it more of independent studying. I know that I am really not that special compared to others, but I don’t care all that much if I don’t actually make it into the Ivies.

6

I’m also trying to get the State AP Scholar both my Junior and Senior Year, which will just be a personal accomplishment, because I know it doesn’t mean much of anything.